Integrating Risk and Resilience for Climate-Resilient WASH Programming

Email icon Back to Search
Blue graphic featuring the cover of this learning brief featuring an illustration of two figures in a boat in a flooded village

As water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) development programs work to improve WASH service delivery in an era of climate change, the concepts of risk and resilience are commonly invoked.

But what do ‘risk’ and ‘resilience’ mean exactly, and how do they support better WASH programming?

While many global frameworks offer definitions, applying these to implementation at community and sub-national government levels is challenging. Under Water for Women’s Learning Agenda, partners explored these questions and considered how global definitions can be translated into tangible actions for implementation.

This brief is part of a series that delves into the broader questions of what climate-resilient inclusive WASH development looks like, and how inclusive WASH strengthens climate resilience.

 

Who is it for?

This learning brief is intended to support WASH and wider development sector actors and partners to better understand and integrate risk and resilience considerations in programming to support development outcomes and broader sustainable development goals.

A thumbnail of the cover of this learning brief featuring an illustration of two figures in a boat in a flooded village

What does it include?

  • How WASH programs commonly represent and identify risks
  • How risk is characterised outside the WASH sector
  • Practical examples of what Water for Women partners mean when using terms linked to resilience, such as risk-informed, adaptability, and transformation
  • Grounded and tangible resilience considerations for WASH programming
  • Conclusions on the future of climate-resilient programming for WASH.

Download

 

Citation: Water for Women. (2025). Learning brief: Integrating Risk and Resilience for Climate-Resilient WASH Programming. https://www.waterforwomenfund.org/en/news/integrating-risk-and-resilience-for-climate-resilient-wash-programming.aspx

A Water for Women logo locked up with the learning agenda theme logo for Building Climate Change Resilience and Adaptation in Inclusive WASH

This learning brief was authored by Jeremy Kohlitz, University of Technology Sydney - Institute for Sustainable Futures Research Director, with contributions from Alison Baker, Water for Women Fund Manager, and Zahra Bolouri, Water for Women Knowledge and Learning Manager; Doug Ruuska, World Vision Climate Resilient WASH Adviser, and Nicole Joseland, World Vision Water for Women Grant Manager; Wahyu Triwahyudi, Plan International Australia Senior Adviser, WASH and Security; Chelsea Huggett, WaterAid Head of Strategy; and Arunima Shrestha, iDE WASH Program Fellow, and Rana Abdel-Sattar, iDE WASH Manager.

We thank all Water for Women partners and teams whose work generated the insights and lessons shared within this learning brief. In particular, thank you to members of the learning group who conceptualised the learning brief and collected information to inform it: Jeremy Kohlitz and Juliet Willetts (UTS-ISF), Zahra Bolouri and Aaron Buncle (WfW); Doug Ruuska (World Vision); Wahyu Triwahyudi (Plan International Australia); Tanvi Oza (WaterAid); Rana Abdel-Sattar and Claire Meyer (iDE). Finally, we thank Bianca Nelson Vatnsdal and Mia Cusack (WfW Communications) for leading the graphic design and editing process of this brief.

Water for Women acknowledges the Australian Government’s support via the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in providing funding to our partners to support climate-resilient, inclusive WASH projects and research across the region and sharing valuable inputs through this learning brief.

Contact Us